Wise words from Charlie Rhee: "As a salesperson, you end up selling something. I'd rather be selling something I like." Simple, yet too true. Manhattan, despite lacking green fairways, has a significant golfing population who take this sport very seriously. Back in 1983, when Charlie's father founded the first store on 36th Street, there was a gaping niche between golf pro shops, on the one hand, and more generalized sporting goods stores on the other. Need, meet solution. Clearly, the idea was a good one, as the shop ultimately moved into a larger space (1991), added a second floor (1999), and opened additional shops. The success is understandable; everybody that works here, from Charlie on down, is an avid golfer, and the enthusiasm for and knowledge of the sport permeates the floor. When I asked Josh, a co-worker, about his interest in golf, his quick response was "I am obsessed with the sport." The vibe, then, is like a mega-pro-shop, minus the exclusivity. This has led to consistent honors among Golf Digest's top 100 golf shops in the country.
